Railroad track washer holder for power wrenches



C. FERRELL June 29, 1954 RAILROAD TRACK WASHER HOLDER-FOR .POWER WRENCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed 0G13. 8, 1952 JNVENTOR. 6k. rfa/e0 F15-11mm. L

June 29, 1954 Q FERRELL 2,682,188

RAILROAD TRACK WASHER HOLDER FR POWER WRENCHES Filed OCT'. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 |l l L I i (d6 A INVENTOR.

- @UFF-awa Frpeeac, I I 5' BY Patented June, Z9, 1954 RAILROAD TRACK WASHER HOLDER `FOR POWER WRENCHES `Clifford Ferrell, Little Rock,` Ark., assignor to 'Woodings-Verona `Tool Works, Verona, Pa., a

corporation y of Pennsylvania Application `"October 8, 1952, Serial N0.`313,-71`7 (Cl. S1- 54) 6 Claims.

less drive chain for rotating thesocket'memberto tighten the nut on the bolt. In Patent No. 2,247,959there is shown a rectangular leaf spring washer that is often vapplied to track 'bolts bevfore the'nut is screwed on. Such spring washers are formed 'for rcontrolling the tension `thatis put on the bolts by the tightened nuts. Thewashers are compressed between the nuts Kand the rail 'joint bars. When the 'nuts are'tightened fby'a power wrench there is a tendency for thesewashb 'ersto turn on thebolts during Vthetightening operation, with the -resultthat the washers will-not rextend lengthwise of the rail unless I4a 'workman holdsthem in positionwhile the wrench isoperating.

Itis among the objects ofv this invention toprolvide an attachment -for power track wrenches which will keep leaf springwashers from turning on track bolts as the nuts are tightened.

In accordance with this invention, `the attachmentor washer vholder `has-a body that lis formed f' fforconnection-to a power wrench near the inner Kend of the wrenchs rotatable socket member. A projection is joined tothebody and is'adapte'd to project outwardly beyond the outer end of the 'socket member andto overlie a leaf spring washer located between a track railand a track bolt 4nut in-the socket member. This projection keeps the washer `from turning on the -bolt as the nut is tightenedby the wrench. Preferably, there are two projections or prongs which `are laterally spaced for engaging the opposite ends of 'the top 4of the washer.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical secton through `the operating end-of a power -track wrench shown-tightening a nut on a track bolt;

"Fig i2 `is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line II-lII'of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is `anend View 4of va socket -member vand washer `holder taken on theline fIII--IIIofFg V2; *Figr 4 is a perspective view =of -a modiedA washer holder; and Figs. F5, "6

:and 1lare viewssimilartoFigs. 1, 2and3, lrespectivelyVshowing another embodiment `of fthe invention Japplie'd to .a `different type fof `power wrench.

8, thus formingv universal joints.

Referring to fFigs. l, Zand 3 of the drawings, 4a pair of railroad trackxrails l and I-2 are spliced en'd to end in conventional'manner by means-of splice bars '3,'through-wliich ends the rail bolts t extend. Slidably'mounted on the threaded en'd of each bolt is a leaf spring washer t, such as shown in YPatent No. 2,247,959. This washer is compressed-against the-adjoining splicebar by'a nut 'i screwed on the bolt. lThenut is startedlcn the bolt by hand, and then the chuck or socket member@ oi a power 'wrench is slipped over the `nut and turned mechanically to tighten the nut on kthe bolt. The wrench shown is like the 'one disclosedin Patent No. 2,552,655, to which reference is made for a fulldescripton. lt is sufficient here to point out that from one end of the frame ti ofthe wrench an inclined arm l2 extends downward beside the track. Rotatably mounted in the lower end of the arm is a sprocket'shait t3 Vthat is driven by endless chains itl from a driveshaft iii journaled in the upper end of the arm. The opposite vends of the lower sprocket shaft are square and project `into square holes fl'l inthe inner ends o1" a pairof the socket'members The outer end of each socketmember is provided with an opening i3 for receiving the nut 'l on the track bolt. As shown -in Fig. v2, the socket members are inclined to the axis of sprocket shaft l3,so that regardless of which sidelof a rail the arm i2 `is swung down beside, the axis of the socket member next to the rail will be perpendicular to the rail.

Each socket member 8 is held on the adjoining end of sprocket shaft -l3 by means of a vertical retaining plate20`that has an upwardly extending central recess 32| (Fig. 3 in its lower portion, which permits it to straddle the socket `member in an annular groove-22 with which the socket member `is provided. The opposite edges of the plate t in vertical-slots .23 in the lower part -of arm t2 at `-opposite sides ofthe socket member. The plate is slidably mounted in 'these vslotsand the 'socket vmember groove, but `is normally prevented from being lifted out of position by a bar '24 at .its .upperend `This bar is loosely mounted oni-a rod 2.6 that extends through the arm,and-the-upper ien'd of the bar is pressed ft'o-,

vthe vplate outof position, the lower end of the bar 3 can be pushed in toward the arm to release the pin from the hole.

It is a feature of this invention that while the nut is being tightened on the bolt the rectangular washer is prevented from rotating on the bolt and thereby turning out oi its proper position. This desirable result is accomplished by a washer holder that is fastened to retaining plate 2E). This holder is formed from a metal plate that is cut and bent to the desired shape. The holder has a body 3l provided with a vertical upper portion that has a pair of laterally spaced openings 32 for receiving a couple of screws 33 extending through the upper part of the retaining plate. The heads of the screws may be countersunk in the plate. Nuts 34 are screwed on their opposite ends to fasten the washer holder to the plate. Preferably, openings 32 are vertical slots which permit the elevation and angle of the holder relative to the retaining plate to be adjusted as necessary. The body of the holder has a lower portion which extends outwardly away from the retaining plate above the underlying socket member !8. From the opposite ends of this horizontal body portion a pair of parallel fingers or prongs 35 extend outwardly and beyond the outer end of the socket member. The outer ends of the prongs are bent downward far enough to substantially engage the top of the spring washer 6 at its opposite ends. These prongs prevent the washer from turning on the bolt while the nut is being tightened. This means that the operator of the wrench does not have to pay any attention to the washer after the wrench has been placed in operating position. u

When the wrench is removed from the nut, the washer will be in correct position relative to the splice bar behind it.

Instead of a washer holder that can be applied to existing socket retaining plates 2D on the power wrench, a unit can be formed which is a combination holder and retaining plate and which can be substituted for present retaining plate Such a unit is shown in Fig. 4. The retaining plate portion 36 of this unit is the same shape as the retaining plate described above, but the body of the washer holder has only a horizontal portion 31 and that is welded to the outer face of the plate. At opposite ends of this body there are prongs 38 which will extend out past the end of a socket member into a position for preventing a leaf spring washer from turning.

Another type of power wrench on the market does not use a chain drive for rotating the socket members. It uses a drive shaft that is coupled to the socket members through a gear box. Such a gearbox il is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7. The ends of the box are circular and have annular end covers 32 fastened to them by cap screws 43. The rotatable chucks or socket members 44 extend out through these covers and are adapted to screw nuts on bolts in the same way as previously described herein. The washer holders that are used with this type of Wrench have arched bodies 45 that t flat against the upper portions of the end covers after the cap screws in that location have been removed. Each arcuate body is provided with holes aligned with the holes in the cover behind it so that cap screws can be inserted in the aligned holes to fasten the body to the gear box. Inl order to provide room for three cap screws in body member 45, the opposite ends of the body extend downward to points below the top of the socket member.

From these ends parallel prongs `IHS extend outward along the opposite sides of the socket member and beyond its outer end to positions directly above the ends of leaf spring washer 6. As the prongs leave the arched body of the holder they are inclined upward for a short distance so that their outer ends will be at the proper level.

In case any of these holders are to be applied to upright wrench surfaces that are not parallel to a rail, one prong can be made longer than the other to compensate for the angle. Also, if the retaining plate is tilted, the outer end of the lower prong can be bent down to a lesser degree than the other one, if necessary.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise thanas specically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A holder for preventing rotation of a leaf spring washer on a railroad track bolt while a nut is being tightened against the washer by the rotating socket member of a power track wrench, said holder comprising a body formed for attachment to such a wrench near the inner end of its socket member, and a projection joined to said body and adapted to project outwardly beyond the outer end of the socket member, whereby to overlie a leaf spring washer between a track rail and a track bolt nut in said socket member to keep the washer from turning on the bolt.

2. A holder for preventing rotation of a leaf spring washer on a railroad track bolt while a nut is being tightened against the washer by the rotating socket member of a power wrench, said holder comprising a body formed for attachment to such a wrench near the inner end of its socket member, and a pair of laterally spaced prongs joined to said body and adapted to project outwardly beyond the outer end of the socket member, whereby to overlie a leaf spring washer between a track rail and a track bolt nut in said socket member to keep the washer from turning on the bolt.

3. A holder for preventing rotation of a leaf spring washer on a railroad track bolt while a nut is being tightened against the Washer by the rotating socket member of a power wrench, said holder comprising a vertical body provided with fastener-receiving openings for attaching it to a vertical surface of such a wrench near the inner end of its socket member, and a pair of laterally spaced prongs joined to the lower part of said body and adapted to extend outwardly along the upper part of the socket member and beyond its outer end, whereby to substantially engage the top of a leaf spring washer between a track rail and a track bolt nut in said socket member to keep the washer from turning on the bolt.

4. A holder for preventing rotation of a leaf spring washer on a railroad track bolt while a nut is being tightened against the washer by a rotating socket member projecting from the circular gear case of a power wrench, said holder comprising an arched body provided with a plurality of laterally spaced fastener receiving openings for attaching it to the gear case of such a wrench above the inner end of its socket member, and a prong joined to each end of said body and adapted to extend outwardly along the upper part of the socket member and beyond its outer end, whereby to substantially engage the top of a leaf spring Washer between a track rail and a track bolt nut in said socket member to keep the washer from turning on the bolt.

5. A holder for preventing rotation of a leaf spring washer on a railroad track bolt While a nut is being tightened against the washer by the rotating socket member of a power track wrench, said holder comprising a vertical plate provided with a central recess extending upwardly from its lower edge adapted to receive the inner end of the socket member of a power wrench, a body member projecting from the plate above said recess, and a pair of substantially parallel prongs projecting from the ends of said body member far enough to extend beyond the outer end of the socket member, whereby to overlie a leaf spring washer on a track bolt.

6. The combination with a power track wrench having a rotating socket member for receiving and tightening a nut on a railroad track bolt, of

a washer holder comprising a body attached to the wrench near the inner end of said socket member, and a pair of laterally spaced prongs joined to said body and extending outwardly along the upper part of the socket member and beyond its outer end a short distance, whereby to substantially engage the top of a leaf-spring Washer between a track rail and said nut to keep the washer from turning.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 313,418 Guilford Mar. 3, 1885 1,020,964 Caswell Mar. 26, 1912 1,270,766 Armstrong July 2, 1918 1,326,817 Yamane Dec. 30, 1919 1,477,184 Ormsby Dec. 1l, 1923 1,824,300 Rowland Sept. 22, 1931 2,417,757 Hoi Mar. 18, 1947 2,556,536 Harris June 12, 1951 

